Know Your Status: Healer-initiated HIV Testing to Link People to Care
Official title: Know your status: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Healer-initiated HIV Counseling and Testing to Standard of Care
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11387576 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-based program in South Africa uses traditional healers to offer HIV testing and help people connect to care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $367,589 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH135738-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387576 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults in South Africa who visit traditional healers and are at risk for HIV, particularly those with low socioeconomic status or limited access to conventional health care.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not access or trust traditional healers or who are not at risk for HIV may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests whether traditional healers can effectively offer HIV counseling and testing and link people to care in their communities in South Africa. Healers will provide three testing services and connect those who test positive to treatment. The goal is to reach people who don’t regularly test and face stigma or distrust in the health system. The study builds on a successful pilot and expands testing, counseling, and linkage to care through healer-led initiatives.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people will know their HIV status and start treatment sooner, reducing transmission and improving health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: A prior pilot with 463 individuals showed substantial testing uptake and high linkage to care; expansion aims to build on this success.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Audet, Carolyn — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Audet, Carolyn
Related research
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Healer-initiated HIV testing to bridge gaps in South Africa
This project tests whether traditional healers can offer HIV counseling and testing to people who don’t usually get tested, to link more individuals to care.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.